Bio & Incident Details
Age: 31
Tour: Not available
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 11/5/1971
Weapon: Rifle
Suspect: Released after 14 years
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Officer Curtis Van Derson was shot and killed when he was ambushed while responding to a bank robbery call. He was shot by a suspect armed with a rifle who was in an ambush position across the street from the bank.
The suspect who murdered Officer Van Derson served only 14 years in prison for the murder. He later was convicted of manslaughter for another murder and was again released from prison. In 2008 he was convicted of attempted murder for a plot to murder a Lane County deputy district attorney.
Officer Van Derson was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
